Daily, the communities surrounding Mica Gallery have seen remarkable advances in recovery. While internet access remains a challenge, cell service and communication systems have improved dramatically. Mica artists suffered varying degrees of damage to studios, homes and access roads, but all share resilient stories of neighbors helping each other and welcoming the crews of military, emergency personnel, FEMA and utility companies. Mica cleaned mud and debris from its storeroom, but the flood waters stopped just shy of the front door. No art was damaged, and the gallery reopened on November 1.
Mica’s artists have responded to the storm with volunteer time and support to those in need. On Day One, metalsmith Jim Cooper joined neighbors on Snow Creek Road, in Bakersville, to clear their road by hand and chainsaw. By Day Three, they had gained access to NC 226 for those residents.
“I have spent much time with my chainsaw clearing driveways,” Cooper says, “and after the first week, I began working with other volunteers assembling and delivering generators and fuel arranged by potter Julie Wiggins to be shipped to the area via helicopter and semitruck. With others, I have been cleaning up various potters’ studios and property on Cane Creek and removing trees fallen on buildings.”
Bonne Bleu teapot. Robbie Bell, artist
Jeweler Stacey Lane shared that her house and studio survived the storm, but, she says, “My yard and pond are a disaster. That cleanup can wait as we try to help with more pressing matters in the community. It will be some time before I am back in the studio. I am busy working at The Hive, a community center in Spruce Pine, which has become a food hub. We are also making craft kits for the schools.”
Bridget Fox, a ceramic artist in Celo, talked of preparing her studio in anticipation of the storm by moving work she wanted to protect into bins placed higher in her studio. “I knew the studio was likely to flood because it sits beside a stream that was already very full,” she says. “Each time I would start to leave, a little voice would remind me of something else…like my notebooks of formulas, glaze chemicals and photo albums.” Living five minutes from the studio, Fox attempted to get to the studio after the storm, but her driveway had washed out and it was clear that disaster was everywhere. Walking the distance, she discovered that the water came to the door, but had not entered the studio. “It was such a huge relief to see my shop still standing with no water around it,” she says, with tears of relief.
With the Toe River Studio Tour and Spruce Pine Potters Market cancelled for this fall, artists are eager to find customers for the holiday season. Aside from a functioning studio, nothing brings greater joy to an artist than having someone support their work.
Mica Gallery encourages readers to make this a season of purchases from your favorite artists. Artwork featured at the gallery includes Robbie Bell’s exquisite small teapots made of Highwater Clay’s Orangestone. One piece is glazed with a base coat of a strontium wash followed by a sand-colored layer and an overspray of cobalt. Another has a heavily carved surface to create a pleated pattern, then was glazed white with Texas talc.
Susan Feagin and Teresa Pietsch have new ceramic cups with different approaches to glazes and patterning. Lisa Joerling has introduced small, hand-built clay wall sculptures of her lovable animals, each telling its own story. Pam Brewer has replenished her popular sculptural leaves and brought new creatures to the gallery. David Ross has experimented with glazes and imagery on his popular functional wares. Bridget Fox’s new mugs depict the mountains and streambeds. Nick Joerling has his classic mugs with dancing figures. And Liz Sparks brings the spirit of India to her various pieces of functional ceramics.
In addition to this wide variety of ceramic work, Mica Gallery has glass cups, bowls and vases, wooden bowls and snowmen, ornaments, paintings, prints, jewelry, books, notecards, works in iron and much more. The annual holiday open house, a festive community event, will be held on Friday, December 6, from 5–7 p.m.
Mica is an artist-run gallery of fine art and contemporary craft located at 37 North Mitchell Avenue, Bakersville. The gallery is open Fridays and Saturdays during January-March and daily, April-December (closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and New Year’s Eve). Hours are Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 12–5 p.m. Learn more at MicaGalleryNC.com, or follow on Facebook (Mica Gallery NC) or on Instagram (micagallerync).
